§ 143‑215.104L.  (Expires January 1, 2032 – see notes) Public notice and community involvement.

(a) If a petitioner desires to enter into a dry‑cleaning solvent remediation agreement based on remediation standards that rely on the creation of land‑use restrictions, or on the use of State or local land‑use controls, the Commission or the Commission's private contractor on behalf of the petitioner shall notify the public and the community in which the facility or abandoned site is located of the planned remediation activities. On behalf of the petitioner, the Commission or the Commission's private contractor shall prepare a Notice of Intent to Remediate a Dry‑Cleaning Solvent Facility or Abandoned Site and a summary of the Notice of Intent. The Notice of Intent shall provide, to the extent known, a legal description of the location of the contamination site, a map showing the location of the contamination site, a description of the contaminants involved and their concentrations in the media of the contamination site, a description of the future use of the contamination site, any proposed investigation and remediation, and a description of any land‑use restrictions and State and local land‑use controls that will be used. Both the Notice of Intent and the summary of the Notice of Intent shall state the time period and means for submitting written comment and for requesting a public meeting on the proposed dry‑cleaning solvent remediation agreement. The summary of the Notice of Intent shall include a statement as to the public availability of the full Notice of Intent. After approval of the Notice of Intent and summary of the Notice of Intent by the Commission, the Commission or the Commission's private contractor shall provide a copy of the Notice of Intent to all local governments having jurisdiction over the contamination site. The Commission or Commission's private contractor shall publish the summary of the Notice of Intent in a newspaper of general circulation serving the area in which the contamination is located and shall mail a copy of the summary to each owner of property located within the contamination site and to each owner of property that is contiguous to the contamination site. The Commission or the Commission's private contractor shall also conspicuously post a copy of the summary of the Notice of Intent at the contamination site.

(b) Publication of the approved summary of the Notice of Intent in a newspaper of general circulation shall begin a public comment period of at least 30 days from the date of publication. During the public comment period, members of the public, residents of the community in which the contamination site is located, and local governments having jurisdiction over the contamination site may submit comment on the proposed dry‑cleaning solvent remediation agreement, including methods and degree of remediation, future land uses, and impact on local employment.

(c) Any person who desires a public meeting on a proposed dry‑cleaning solvent remediation agreement shall submit a written request for a public meeting to the Commission within 30 days after the public comment period begins. The Commission shall consider all requests for a public meeting and shall hold a public meeting if the Commission determines that there is significant public interest in the proposed remediation agreement. If the Commission decides to hold a public meeting, the Commission shall, at least 30 days prior to the public meeting, mail written notice of the public meeting to all persons who requested the public meeting and to any other person who had previously requested notice. The Commission shall also publish, at least 30 days prior to the date of the public meeting, a notice of the public meeting at least one time in a newspaper having general circulation in the county where the contamination site is located. In any county in which there is more than one newspaper having general circulation, the Commission shall publish a copy of the notice in as many newspapers having general circulation in the county as the Commission in its discretion determines to be necessary to assure that the notice is generally available throughout the county. The Commission shall prescribe the form and content of the notice to be published. The Commission shall prescribe the procedures to be followed in the public meeting. The Commission shall take detailed minutes of the meeting. The minutes shall include any written comments received during the public meeting. The Commission shall take into account the comment received during the comment period and at the public meeting if the Commission holds a public meeting. The Commission shall incorporate into the remediation agreement provisions that reflect comment received during the comment period and at the public meeting to the extent practical. The Commission shall give particular consideration to written comment that is supported by valid scientific and technical information and analysis. (1997‑392, s. 1; 2007‑530, s. 9; 2009‑483, s. 3.)